Switching apparatus.



No. 634,87l.

Paiented Oct. I7, |899. A. T. BROWN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application led May 1l, 1896.)

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(No Model.)

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ATTORNEYS.

No. 634,87I. Patented Oct. I7, |899.

A. T. BROWN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Appncarion med may 11 189e.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS,

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Nn. 634,87l. I Patented out. |7, |899. A. T. BnowN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application vled May 11, 1896,) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3,

WlTNESSES: IN TOR BY @M ATToRNliYs` rn: mums Pcrsns co.. wma-uwe, wumum'en. D. c.

No. 634,87I. Patented Oct. I7, |899.

' A. T. BROWN.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application ld Kay 1 1, 1896.)

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wlNEssEs: v NTOH ATTORNEY 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. BROVN, OF SYRAOUSE, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO lVllllSERT ll. SMITH, TRUSTEE.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,871, dated October 17', 1899,

Application iiled May 1l, 1896. Serial Na 590,987. (No model TU Cif/ZZ wb/ 27D' 720602,/ LUw'b.' grammatic view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating Be it known that I, ALEXANDER T. BROWN,- devices for connecting together both limbs or of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in conductors of metallic circuits. Fig. 9 is a the State of New York, have invented new top plan view, partly broken away, of a con- 5 and useful Improvements in Switching Apstruction of my switching apparatus provided paratus, of which the following, taken in conwith oppositely-arran ged movable terminal nection withthe accompanying drawings, is supports; and Fig. l0 is a transverse section a full, clear, and exact description. of a modilied construction of my switching My invention relates to a switching` appaapparatus in which the pockets orinclosures 6o 1o ratus for use in telephony, telegraphy, the., are open longitudinally.

and has for its object the production of a A represents a supporting-frame, B suitswitching apparatus for connectingr electric able supports, O fixed terminals mounted on circuits and an arrangement of wiring theresaid supports, and D movable terminals for for which occupies a minimum amount of engaging the former terminals, all of which 15 space, is particularly simple in construction, parts may be of suitable form and size.

is readily operated, and is highly efficient; The supporting-trame A is preferably comand to this end the invention consists, essenposed of top and bottom pieces and side and tially, ina switching apparatus provided with end walls a a a2 a2 0.3 as. iixed and movable terminals connected to a The supports l are generally formed ot 7o zo series of circuits, said iixed terminals being non-electrical conductingmaterial and are formed with engaging surfaces arranged to usually arranged parallel with each other and entirely or partially surround the movable the end walls a3 a, and, as clearly seen in terminals, as hereinafter more particularly Fig. l, a number of said supports maybe ardescribed, and pointed out in the claims. ranged in grooves a" in the top and bottom 25 In describing this invention reference is pieces and the end walls of the supportinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming frame, andan additionalnumber ot' said supa part of this specil'ication, in which like letports may be located at the points where the ters indicate corresponding parts in all the fixed terminals Ocross each other. Said supviews. ports B are usually provided with suitable 8o 3o Figure l is a side elevation, partly in secpertorations and grooves through which the tion,`of a switching apparatus embodying my iiXed terminals O are passed, as best seen in invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan, Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, and G. partly in section, of a portion of said switch- The Vfixed terminals O are preferably suping apparatus, a number of subscribers cirported in planes, one in advance of the other, 35 cuits being operatively connected thereto. and are each usually provided with sub- Fig. Bis a vertical section taken on line 3 3, stantially parallel electrically connected Fig. 2. Fig. 4E is an isometric view of one of branches or arms, which are generally conthe terminal supports, adjacent portions of uected so as to lform substantially U-shaped the iiXed terminals secured to said support, loops. The branches or arms of a number of 9o 4o and adjacent parts of the supporting-frame. the fixed terminals C and the loops formed Fig. 5 is an isometric view showing portions by said branches or arms are usually arof the top and bottom fixed terminals and a ranged so as to cross the branches or arms number orp the supports therefor, a part of of other fixed terminals O, and the branches said terminals being illustrated by dotted or arms of any one of the terminals O are 4 5 lines. Fig. G is an isometric view of the supusually alternated with the branches or arms ports and the adjacent portions of the fixed of the next adjacent terminal C, provided terminals for forming one of the pockets or with branches or armsarrangedsubstantially inclosures of my switching apparatus. Fig. parallel with the branches or arms of said 7 isadiagrammatic view illustrating two subone ot theterminals O. As preferably con- 10o 5o scribers circuits and the fixed and movable structed the fixed terminals O consist of conterminals connected thereto. Fig. S is a diatinuous strips, which extend from end to end fr esteri and from top to bottom ol;` the switching apparatus and are passed through the opposite end Walls and the top and bottom pieces of the frame A. ln order that-this arrangement of the fixed terminals C may be effected Without liability of undue engagement of said fixed terminals at the points where they cross each other, certain portions of a n umber of the terminals C are raised above or depressed beneath the adjacent portions of other terminals C, as best seenl in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the fixed terminals C are arranged as described they form parallelogrammatic pockets orinclosures in which the terminals D are movable. The portions ofthe fixed terminals forming said pockets or inclosures are provided with engaging surfaces for making contact With the terminals D, and, as clearly seen in Figs. l, 2, and (S, the engaging surfaces of some of the terminals C are arranged at opposite sides of the terminalsD and at an angle with the adjacent engaging surfaces of other terminals C. ln the preferable construction of this switching apparatus the terminals C are arranged so that each bounds one ofthe sides of all of the pockets or inclosures formed by the terminals C for the movable terminals D. Each of the terminals C may thus be engaged by each of the terminals D, and consequently each circuit may be connected by the correspondingmovable terminal to every other circuit leading to the fixed terminals.

The movable terminals D are preferably mounted upon reciprocating supports d and usually consist of yielding,` clamping-arms, which extend laterally from said supports and are formed with engaging ends adapted te make contact with the engaging surfaces of the fixed terminals bounding the pockets or inclosures in which said terminals D are movable. l have shown but one terminal upon each support d; but it is apparent that a number of terminals may be secured to each terminal support, if desired, rlhe supports d are guided in any suitable manner and are preferably insulated from each other and a common conductor E, presently described. The supports d are also preferably capable of revoluble movement, in order that when provided with but a single terminal D they may engage said terminal with the angularly-arranged engaging surfaces of the fixed terminais C. Suitable graduations d, indica-tors d2, and any other desirable means may be provided upon the supports d for permitting the opera-tor to quickly determine the position of the movable terminals D, and it Will be understood that each support may be provided With a separate series of graduations for the terminal engaging faces at each side of the pocket or inclosure through which said support is movable.

e c e2 es e4 are a series of subscribersv7 circuits connected to my switching apparatus, and, as best seen in Fig. 2, corresponding wires of said circuits are connected by local branches ci to corresponding lixed terminals C and are also connected by :llexible branches eG to the terminal supports d. lhe other Wires of said circuits are preferably connected to a common conductor E, previously mentioned. In Fig. 7 l have illustrated, diagrammatically, two subscribers circuits c c' and the corresponding fixed and movable terminals for said circuits, the movable terminal for the circuit c being engaged with the fixed terminal for the circuit c. A current will then be free to [low over one of the Wires of the circuit el to the movable terminal connected to said wire, along the fixed terminal connected to the opposite wire of the circuit c, the other wire of said circuit c, and the common conductor E to the opposite wire of the circuit c. The common conductor-E is, however, not necessarily an essential feature of my invention, since, as illustrated, diagrammatically, in Fig. 8, each Wire of the subscribers circuits leading to my switching apparatus, as the circuits @2U c, may be connected to a separate fixed terminal, and each connecting device for the respective circuits may be provided with separated insulated movable terminals dl. lt will be apparent that this modification of my invention merely necessitates the use of more xedand movable terminals than the previonsly-describcd construction of said invention and dispenses with a common terminal for uniting corresponding wires of all of the circuits.

As best seen in Fig. 2, all of the terminal supports of the previou sly-described construction of my invention are similarly arranged and the operator or operators of the switching apparatus sit at one side of the supporting-frame. This also is, however, not an cssent'ial feature of the arrangement of my invention, and in Fig., 9 l have shown oppositely-arranged terminal supports D30 having their engaging ends prejectingbeycnd the opposite side Walls of the supporting-frame A30.

As previously stated, the fixed terminals C are usually arranged so as to form parallelogrammatic pockets or inelosures, but it will be apparent that this also is not an essential feature of construction of my invention, and in Fig. lO I have shown fixed terminals Ci0 arranged at substantially right angles to each other and forming longitudinally-open pockets or inclosures, in which are movable the terminal supports d, provided with the movable terminals D10. The necessary annunciators, busy tests, and calling and communicating devices may be connected in the usual manner te the various circuits leading to my switching apparatus; but since said devices form no part of my invention I have not considered it necessary to herein illustrate and describe the saine.

lt will be noted that a switching apparatus of the described construction is particularly com pact and occupies but a minimum amount of space and that the number of subscribers circuits which can be connected thereto is IIO practically unlimited. Moreover, an operator can take charge of a maximum number of circuits, owing to the simplicity in construction and operation of my switching apparatus, and can connect any of the circuits in his charge to any other circuit leading to the switching apparatus.

The operation of my invention will now be readily-understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be particularly noted that I do not herein limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of the component parts of my switching apparatus.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by' Letters Patent, is-

l. Aswitching apparatus provided withterminals formed with a series of substantially U-shaped loops, the loops of one terminal crossing the loops of another terminal at an angle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A switching apparatus comprising fixed terminals each formed with a series of electrically-connected branches or arms, additional fixed terminals each formed with a series of electrically-connected branches or arms crossing the former branches or arms, circuits connected to the fixed terminals, and terminals normally connected to the circuits and movable between the electrically-connected branches or arms of the fixed terminals, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A switching apparatusprovided with terminals formed with a series of loops, loops of one terminal crossing loops of another terminal at anl angle, the loops of said terminals forming a series of pockets or inclosures, and each of the terminals forming a portion of one of the sides of each of the pockets or inclosures, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A switching apparatus comprising lixed terminals formed with a series of loops, loops of one terminal crossing loops of another terminal at an angle and said loops forming pockets or inclosures, circuits connected to the fixed terminals, and additional terminals connected to the circuits and movable in the pockets or inclosures for engaging the fixed terminals, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A switching apparatus comprising fixed terminals formed with a series of loops, a common conductor, metallic circuits having corresponding limbs or conductors connected to the fixed terminals and their other limbs or conductors connected to the common conductor, and additional terminals movable into connection with the branches or arms of the loops of the fixed terminals and connected to the circuits, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

G. A switching apparatus comprising iixed terminals formed with a series of loops, loops of one terminal crossing loops of another terminal and said loops forming pockets or inclosures, circuits connected to the fixed terminals, additional terminals connected tothe circuits and movable in the pockets or inclosures for engaging the fixed terminals, and supports for the additional terminals provided with indicating means, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a switchingapparatus,the combination of a plurality of movable terminals, and a plurality of fixed terminals provided with en gaging surfaces, a number of the fixed terminals having engaging surfaces arranged at an angle with engaging surfaces of other fixed terminals for partially surrounding the movable terminals, and the engaging surfaces of one of the fixed terminals being arranged in position to be contacted by all of the movable terminals, substantially as and for the purpose dcscribed.

8. Inaswitchingapparatus,the combination of a plurality of movable terminals, and a plu ralit-y of fixed terminals provided with engaging surfaces, a number of the fixed terminals having engaging surfaces arranged at one side of one of the movable terminals, and other fixed terminals having engaging surfaces arranged at the opposite side of said one of tho movable terminals for partially surrounding said movable terminal, and circuits normally connected to said movable and fixed terminals, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attest-4 ing witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 0th day of May, 1806.

ALEXANDER T. BRO\VN.

Witnesses:

E. A. Wnisune, ARTHUR E. Passons.

lOO 

